A SCHEME to heat Petersfield open-air swimming pool with solar panels is still on track despite a series of funding blows, committee members claimed this week. A war chest of £180,000 is needed if the ambitious aim of using environmentally-friendly technology to provide year-round swimming is to become a reality. But the Low Carbon Building Trust, the funding body the committee hoped would shoulder a large part of the costs, has refused to hand over a grant as the pool did not have a roof. Meanwhile, funding managers at the National Lottery turned down a grant application as it did not see Petersfield as a deprived area. Despite the setbacks, committee member Vaughan Clarke said the search for funds would continue. And on Monday, pool representatives met with a consultant in London who specialises in grant applications to try to find a new approach. Mr Clarke told The Herald: "I'm always hopeful it will happen. It might take longer than anticipated, but we won't give up. "We are currently looking to apply to a power company and to the Building Research Establishment in Watford. "The consultant said the project should be a total goer." The project, which would be unique in Britain, would see 80 solar panels fixed to the top of the neighbouring Festival Hall, with the environmentally-friendly power transferred to the pool. The panels would generate 160 kilowatts of power, saving more than 60 tonnes of carbon per year. The energy saving would be about 80 per cent of the current energy costs of around £8,000 – a bill which would be likely to rise with the cost of fuel over the life of the panels. A full display of the energy being saved would also be visible at the pool and published on a website to allow schools and colleges to use it for science projects. The panels and the heating system would cost around £142,000, while the fitting process would cost around £22,000. Publicity, educational resources and contingencies make up the rest of the cost. The committee is now waiting for a report from the consultant. Mr Clarke added: "We are sure this will give us a way forward."
